With the upcoming opening of its new flagship showroom in London’s Clerkenwell district, ABI Interiors marks a significant milestone in its global journey. Designed in collaboration with the renowned architecture and London interior design practice Conran and Partners, the space will reflect the brand’s confidence and momentum while reinforcing its growing presence within the UK’s creative scene. 

“For me, the showroom is a real milestone – it’s our statement of intent in London,” says Mark Poulain, Commercial Director at ABI Interiors. “It represents ABI’s confidence, momentum, and genuine commitment to the design community.”

From the outset, the brief was clear: create a showroom that felt less like a traditional retail space and more like a home for the brand: welcoming, intuitive, and experiential.

“This space embodies everything we believe in: accessible luxury, thoughtful simplicity, and design that feels effortless,” says Mark. “Every detail has intent; it’s a reflection of how we design, how we collaborate, and how we want people to experience ABI.”

Conran and Partners approached the project by first considering what makes a great showroom from the perspective of designers and specifiers themselves. “The overall design concept was to blend the welcoming and the comfortable alongside the informative and the flexible,” says Simon. “It wants to be unique, sociable, and it wants to be somewhere you want to return to.”

Central to the design approach was applying a residential sensibility within a commercial environment, an ethos that reflects ABI’s product design philosophy.

“We’ve really thought about how to make this showroom feel like a home for ABI and for the people visiting it,” says Amy Blight, Designer at Conran and Partners. “We took the core palette from ABI’s products and existing showrooms and dialled it up slightly, without moving away from their brand values.”

Different zones throughout the showroom will adopt distinct material and finish palettes, allowing each area to evoke familiar domestic settings. 

“We’ve applied a palette that feels very residential into a commercial setting,” Amy continues. “Spaces designed to feel like a kitchen or dining room genuinely read that way, helping visitors imagine the products in real-life contexts.”

The Clerkenwell Showroom will unfold across two levels, characterised by a striking double-height void at the front of the site. This architectural feature became a key driver of the spatial concept.

“One of the unique characteristics of this site is the double-height space and void,” says Simon. “It allowed us to lean into the idea of the ‘home of ABI’ on the ground floor, where you’re welcomed in and introduced to the brand, while the [lower] level becomes a high-density product gallery.”

This transition creates a clear yet fluid journey. Upstairs, visitors will be immersed in the brand’s world; downstairs, they can engage closely with the depth and detail of the product range.

For Mark, this approach informs every interaction with the brand. “The space is more than taps and basins; it’s an experience. It’s where design, light, and conversation come together. Visitors can feel our materials, see our finishes in context, and connect with the personality and passion behind the brand.”

Beyond showcasing products, the showroom is designed as a hub for collaboration, exchange, and community. It’ll be about creating an environment that naturally sparks interaction. By balancing open, inviting areas with more intimate spaces, the showroom encourages repeat visits and ongoing engagement.

The Clerkenwell Showroom represents more than a new address for ABI Interiors: it signals confidence, ambition, and a deep respect for the London interior design scene. Through its collaboration with Conran and Partners, ABI is creating a space that is both aspirational and grounded, reflecting its Australian heritage, embracing London’s long-standing design sensibility, and reinforcing its position as a trusted, design-led global brand that speaks not only to where ABI Interiors is today but also to where it’s headed next.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of our series, where we see the initial concept to finished creation. 

For further inspiration, explore these blogs:

The Legacy of Terence Conran: Master of Modern Design 

Proud Recipients of 3 Australian Good Design Awards 2025